Boulder's Weissmann says his values best reflect the voters'

By John FryarLongmont Times-Call

Posted:
06/17/2012 11:21:21 PM MDT

Updated:
06/17/2012 11:41:35 PM MDT

Eric Weissmann

Editor's note: The winner of the GOP primary -- Kevin Lundberg or Eric Weissmann -- will face incumbent Boulder Democrat Jared Polis in November's contest for Colorado's 2nd Congressional District seat. Louisville Libertarian Randy Luallin and Boulder Green Party member Susan Hall also have declared their candidacies for the 2nd CD seat now held by Polis, who's seeking a third two-year term.

Starting this year, the 2nd Congressional District includes all of Larimer County, all of Boulder County except for Longmont, all of Broomfield, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Grand and Summit counties, parts of Eagle, Jefferson and Park counties, and a small chunk of Weld County.

Boulder business investor Eric Weissmann says his political inexperience would be a plus, rather than a problem, when it comes to representing the viewpoints of most of the residents of Colorado's 2nd Congressional District.

"I'm a businessman, with a track record of achievement," Weissmann said recently. That background positions him to be the best Republican candidate to unseat fellow Boulder entrepreneur Jared Polis, the incumbent Democratic congressman, in this year's general election, he said.

"I am running for Congress to get our economy moving, and for the federal government to be less expensive and less intrusive," Weissmann said.

He wants to target the size and cost of federal government and how that's contributed to a slumping national economy, he said.

"Those are the issues that I am about," he said.

Weissmann contrasted his credentials with those of Kevin Lundberg, the state senator who's also seeking to be the GOP standard-bearer in this fall's 2nd Congressional District contest.

Eric Weissmann

Residence: Boulder

Age: 48

Occupation: Entrepreneur; has acquired and invested in several small companies

Political experience: First run for any public office

Civic activities: Served as a board member and advisor to the Alliance for Choice in Education, Colorado Uplift and The Wellness Initiative; served on the Colorado State Treasurer's Investment Advisory Council and the Colorado Executive Committee of the America Israel Public Affairs Committee; former president of the Young Entrepreneur's Organization's Colorado chapter; advised the Leadership Program of the Rockies

Education: Undergraduate business degree, State University of New York; master's in business administration, University of Colorado

He called Lundberg "a career politician" who's "been running for or serving in office since 1998."

Weissmann charged that Lundberg has accomplished little in that time to benefit the constituents of the Larimer County House and Senate districts he has represented in the Colorado Legislature.

In addition, he has criticized Lundberg for devoting so much time to social issues -- such as the senator's strident opposition to bills proposing recognition of certain legal rights for partners in same-sex civil unions -- rather than working to resolve the financial problems facing Coloradans.

Lundberg "is not a candidate who would appeal to the broader electorate" in the general election for the congressional seat, including the 2nd District's unaffiliated voters and disgruntled Democrats, Weissmann maintained.

Of his own candidacy, Weissmann said he's offering voters "values that match the district's."

The primary-election endorsements and contributions he's collected from across the Republican spectrum demonstrates that people are looking for a candidate with the "ability to mount a winning campaign" in the general-election face-off, Weissmann said, adding that those endorsements were "not about social issues."

During the primary election campaign, Weissmann has frequently told GOP audiences, "I'm the Republican who is going to fire Jared Polis."

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